The Wedding

Imraan Coovadia

When Ismet sees 'the most beautiful woman in the world', Khateja, from a train window he uncharacteristically leaves the train and is married within two days. However Khateja is not so enamoured by her new husband as he would like and she devotes her life to making him as miserable as possible. Touching and very funny - the characters are wonderful.

Extract

'Khateja,' he repeated very firmly, 'you are twenty years old now, one unmarried galoot of a daughter, and we have asked around a little and we have chatted with a few people who know facts about these situations and we have found you a good husband, a man with a good family, a husband who is right for you and is also compatible from the point of view of personal relations. That is how it stands, Khateja. Now we want to arrange things, get the matter straight, everything understood on your side, everything clear and fixed up, ball rolling.'

'It's the ur-ur man isn't it?' Khateja said with perfect serenity.

Quickly she evaluated: was this the correct strategic instant to throw a tantrum? postpone for maximum effect? the relative advantage of an epileptic fit and an asthma attack, gasping, choking for breath, screaming out loud so the cups in the drawer rattled, over a mundane temper tantrum, say? a seizure? In desperate circumstances the effectiveness of a well-thought-out, clearly enunciated, curdled-blood suicide threat shouldn't be underestimated.

Parallels